Julia Roberts 1

Julia Roberts Name: ……………………………………… Your task:

• Read about Julia Roberts. Then make a report of about 10-15 sentences to tell what you know about her? • Then think if you like her or not? Why (not)? What can you learn from her? Report it to your friends

Julia Roberts Julia Fiona Roberts (born October 28, 1967) is an Academy Award-winning American film actress and former fashion model. She shot to fame during the early 1990s after starring in the romantic comedy, Pretty Woman, opposite Richard Gere, which grossed US$463 million worldwide. She won the Best Actress Academy Award in 2001 for her critically praised turn as the title character in Erin Brockovich and earned Oscar nominations as Best Supporting Actress for Steel Magnolias (1989) and Best Actress for Pretty Woman (1990). Her films, which also include The Pelican Brief, My Best Friend's Wedding, Notting Hill, Runaway Bride, and Ocean's Eleven, have collectively earned box office receipts well over US$2 billion. Roberts has become the highest-paid actress in the world, topping the Hollywood Reporter's annual power list of top-earning female stars for four consecutive years (2002-2005). Her fee for 1990's Pretty Woman was $300,000; in 2003, she was paid an unprecedented $25 million for her role in Mona Lisa Smile. As of 2007, Roberts' net worth was estimated to be US$140 million.[1] Roberts was the first actress to appear on the cover of Vogue and the first woman to land the cover of GQ. She has been named one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" eleven times, tied with Halle Berry. In 2001 Ladies Home Journal ranked her as the 11th most powerful woman in America, beating out then national security advisor Condoleezza Rice and first lady Laura Bush.[2] Roberts has a production company called Red Om Films ("Moder" spelled backwards; formerly Shoelace Productions).

Biography Early life It is commonly mistaken that Julia's birth name is "Julie"; however, Roberts has said in interviews that "Julie" was a nickname given to her by classmates in elementary school, and she never took well to it. Roberts was born in Smyrna, Georgia. Her father, Walter Grady Roberts, was a vacuum cleaner salesman, and her Minneapolis, Minnesota-born mother, Betty Lou Motes (née Bredemus), was a one-time church secretary and real estate agent.[3] Her parents, one-time actors and playwrights, met while performing theatrical productions for the armed forces and later co-founded the Atlanta Actors and Writers Workshop in Georgia; the two divorced in 1971.[4] Her mother later re-married to Michael Motes and had another daughter, named Nancy Motes who was born in 1976. Roberts' father died of cancer when she was ten. Her older brother and sister, Eric Roberts (from whom she was estranged for a while) and Lisa Roberts Gillan, are also actors. Roberts wanted to be a veterinarian as a child, but soon after graduating from Smyrna's Campbell High School,[5] and after attending Georgia State University, she headed to New York to join her sister Lisa Roberts Page 1 of 4

Julia Roberts Name: ……………………………………… Gillan and pursue a career in acting. Once there, she signed with the Click modeling agency and enrolled in acting classes. She reverted to her original name "Julia Roberts" when she discovered that a "Julie Roberts" was already registered with the Screen Actors Guild.

Career 1986—1989, Early career Roberts made her film debut playing a supporting role opposite her brother, Eric, in Blood Red (she has just two words of dialogue), which, although completed in 1986, was not released until 1989. Her first television appearance was as a juvenile rape victim in the initial season of the series Crime Story with Dennis Farina, in the episode titled "The Survivor," broadcast on February 13, 1987. She also once appeared on Sesame Street opposite the character Elmo, demonstrating her ability to change emotions. Roberts first caught the attention of moviegoers with her performance in the independent film Mystic Pizza in 1988; that same year, she had a role in the last episode of season four of Miami Vice. The following year, she was featured in Steel Magnolias as a young bride battling diabetes and garnered her first Oscar nomination (as Best Supporting Actress) for her performance.

1990—2000, Breakout role and eventual success Roberts first catapulted to worldwide fame when she co-starred with Richard Gere in the Cinderella/Pygmalianesque story Pretty Woman in 1990. Roberts won the role after the first two choices for the part, Molly Ringwald and Meg Ryan both turned it down. The role also earned her a second Oscar nod, this time as Best Actress. Her next box office success was the thriller Sleeping with the Enemy, playing a battered wife who escapes her demented husband, Patrick Bergin, and begins a new life in Iowa. She played Tinkerbell in Steven Spielberg's Hook in 1991, which was followed by a two-year hiatus, during which she made no films other than a cameo appearance in Robert Altman's The Player (1992). In early 1993, she was the subject of a People magazine cover story asking, "What Happened to Julia Roberts?" In 1993, she co-starred with Denzel Washington in the successful The Pelican Brief, based on the John Grisham novel. She also starred alongside Liam Neeson in the 1996 film Michael Collins. Over the next few years, she starred in a series of films that were critical and commercial failures, primarily because she was cast in roles that strayed too far from her film persona. She broke her losing streak with the hugely popular comedy My Best Friend's Wedding (1997), and eventually regained her earlier reputation as an actress who could open a movie and guarantee box office success. She starred with Hugh Grant in the popular 1999 film Notting Hill. That same year, she also starred in Runaway Bride, the second film with the Julia Roberts-Richard Gere duo. Roberts was a guest star on the Law & Order television series, in a well-received episode broadcast on May 5, 1999 entitled "Empire," with her then-boyfriend, series regular Benjamin Bratt.

2001—2005, continued success Page 2 of 4

Julia Roberts Name: ……………………………………… In 2001, Roberts received the Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of Erin Brockovich, who helped wage a successful lawsuit against energy giant Pacific Gas & Electric. Whilst presenting the Best Actor Award to Denzel Washington the following year, she made a gaff when she said she was glad that Tom Conti wasn't there. She meant the conductor Bill Conti, who had tried to hasten the conclusion of her Oscar speech the previous year, but instead named the British actor.[6] Roberts would team up with Erin Brockovich director Steven Soderbergh for three more films: Ocean's Eleven (2001), Full Frontal (2002), and Ocean's Twelve (2004). VOCABULARY Gross (v) kiếm được cả thảy Critically praized turn: một bước rẽ được khen ngợi Title character (n) nhân vật có tên được sử dụng làm đề của phim Earn Oscar nomination (n) được đề cử nhận giải Oscar Best supporting actress (n) vai phụ tốt nhất Include (v) bao gồm Collectively (adv) tổng cộng Box office receipt (n) tiền thu được từ tiền bán vé Consecutive years (n) những năm kế tiếp nhau Unprecedented (adj) không có tiền lệ (chưa xảy ra trước đây) Net worth (n) giá trị ròng Estimate (v) ước tính Cover of Vogue: trang bìa của tạp chí Vogue First woman to land the cover of GQ: người phụ nữ đầu tiên được lên trang bìa của tạp chí GQ Tied with Halle Berry: Ngang điểm với Halle Berry. 11th powerful woman in America: Người phụ nữ quyền lực thứ 11 của Mỹ Beating out then national security advisor Condoleeza Rice and first lady Laura Bush: Vượt qua (hạ gục) nhà cố vấn an ninh quốc gia Mỹ khi đó là Condoleeza Rice và vợ của tổng thống Mỹ Laura Bush Production company (n) công ty sản xuất Early life: Những năm đầu đời It is commonly mistaken that…: người ta hay sai lầm khi nghĩ rằng Take well to sth: Không thích lắm cái gì Vacuum cleaner salesman: người bán máy hút bụi One-time church secretary: đã từng là thư ký của nhà thờ Real estate agent (n) người kinh doanh bất động sản

Veterinarian (n) bác sĩ thú y Head to New York: đi đến New York Pursue a career in acting: theo đuổi sự nghiệp diễn viên Once there: Khi đã đến đó Click modeling agency: công ty người mẫu Click Enrol in acting classes: Đăng ký học các lớp diễn viên Revert to: quay lại Original name: tên ban đầu Julie Roberts was already registered with Screen Actors Guild: Julie Roberts là tên đã được đăng ký thương hiệu với Screen Actors Guild (Screen Actors Guild là một liên đoàn lao động đại diễn cho giới diễn viên của Mỹ). Movie set (n) trường quay Gain a starring role: dành được một vai ngôi sao …. 1986-1989, Early Career: Khởi nghiệp Film debut (n) sự trình diễn đầu tiên Play a supporting role: đóng vai phụ Opposite her brother: bên cạnh anh trai của cô ấy Two words of dialogue: chỉ đối thoại có hai từ It was not released until 1989: Đến năm 1989 nó mới được trình chiếu First television appearance: xuất hiện trên tivi lần đầu tiên Juvenile rape victim: nạn nhân bị hiếp dâm khi còn vị thành niên Episode titled "…" (n) đoạn có tên … Demonstrate (v) chứng minh, trình diễn Ability to change emotions: khả năng thay đổi cảm xúc She was featured in …: cô ấy đóng vai chính trong …. A young bride: một cô dâu trẻ Battle (battling) diabetes: vật lộn với bệnh đái đường Page 3 of 4

Julia Roberts Name: ……………………………………… Garner(ed) her first Oscar nomination: thu được đề cử nhận giải Oscar đầu tiên 1990-2000, Breakout role and eventual success: Những vai diễn đột phá và cuối cùng thu được sự thành công Catapult(ed) to worldwide fame: đạt được sự nổi tiếng thế giới nhanh công; vụt lên nổi tiếng thế giới Win (won) the role: giành được vai diễn Molly Ringwald and Meg Ryan both turned it down: Cả Molly Ringwald lẫn Meg Ryan đều từ chối vai đó. Her role earned her a second Oscar nod: Vai diễn của cô ấy đã mang lại cho cô ấy giải Oscar thứ hai. Her next box office success: sự thành công tiếp theo trong sự nghiệp diễn viên của cô ấy (Từ box office có nghĩa là phòng bán vé. Trong trường hợp này được sử dụng để ám chỉ sự thành công của một bộ phim) Thriller (n) phim kinh dị Playing a battered wife: đóng vai một người vợ bị đánh đập Hiatus (n) giai đoạn gián đoạn Subject (n) chủ đề Cover story (n) truyện tranh ở bìa tạp chí Co-star (v) đóng chung với, đóng cặp với Critical and commercial failure: thất bại ê chề (vừa bị chỉ trích, phê phán critical - vừa thất bại về mặt thương mại - commercial). She was cast in rolé: cô ấy được giao những vai That strayed too far from her film persona: mà đi quá xa so với tính cách trên phim của cô ấy Losing streak (n) con đường thất bại, chuỗi thất bại Hugely popular comedy (n) một bộ phim hài rất được ưa chuộng Eventually (adv) cuối cùng Regain her reputation: lấy lại được danh tiếng Well-received episode (n) vở kịch được tiếp đón nồng hậu Broadcast on … được trình chiếu vào ngày ….

lại tập đoàn năng lượng khổng lồ Pacific Gas & Electric Make a gaff (v) đối xử thô lỗ She meant: ý cô muốn nói Conductor (n) nhạc trưởng Hasten (v) thúc giục To be featured in: đóng vai chính trong Hit single (n) bài hát đơn ca được ưa chuộng Longtime fan: người hâm mô lâu dài

2001-2005, continued success: tiếp tục thành công Portrayal (n) bức chân dung, sự miêu tả Wage a successful lawsuit against energy giant Pacific Gas & Electric: tiến hành một vụ kiện thành công chống Page 4 of 4